Book Review - The Little Village Library by Helen Rolfe - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Title: The Little Village Library

Author: Helen Rolfe

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 6th February 2020 

Rating: 4 Stars

It takes a village...

Cloverdale is known for its winding roads, undulating hills and colourful cottages, and more recently, its Library of Shared Things. Need a ladder, a hedge trimmer or a waffle-maker? You can borrow it from the Library of Shared Things.

Single dad Adam is doing a good job of raising his daughter, Zoe, whilst burying his past and moving forwards. When he agrees to run a mending workshop at the Library, new friendships start to blossom.

Jennifer is a volunteer at the Library. When her younger sister Isla moves back to Cloverdale after their mother dies, Jennifer finds herself wondering whether Isla is hiding something.

And when Adam's daughter Zoe makes a startling discovery, it's time for the people at the Library of Shared Things to pull together and help one family with its biggest challenge of all.

This is a novel with community at its heart. It's about the kindness we can find when we least expect it and the bonds we can form when we're not even looking.

What a deep and emotional but uplifting book this is. 

It is clear from the off that Adam, Jennifer, Viola and Isla are all hiding things, and their secrets are alluded to often. 

Strangely the largest reveal is also the one I kind of saw coming but not in that manner, the rest did surprise me. 

It took me a while to get into the swing of this book, possibly due to the amount of characters I needed to keep in mind, but once I did I really fell for the village of Cloverdale and I love the concept of the Library of Shared Things. 

There are many threads running through the story and once I was up to speed I was fully invested in seeing how everything would play out. 

I really enjoyed this story and it was good to see that Helen Rolfe is able to  write about some more serious topics than I've seen in the past, in such a sensitive and thought provoking way. 

Definitely a book to make you think, filled with drama, intrigue and a great sense of community.  

Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Little Cafe at the End of the Pier by Helen Rolfe

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Amazon UK

Title: The Little Cafe at the End of the Pier

Author: Helen Rolfe

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 24th January 2019

Rating: 4 Stars

Searching for love? You'll find it at The Little Café at the End of the Pier... 
The Little Café at the End of the Pier is the Café at the End of the Pier novellas collected together for the first time.

When Jo's beloved grandparents ask for her help in running their little café at the end of the pier in Salthaven-on-Sea she jumps at the chance.

The café is a hub for many people: the single dad who brings his little boy in on a Saturday morning; the lady who sits alone and stares out to sea; the woman who pops in after her morning run.

Jo soon realises that each of her customers is looking for love - and she knows just the way to find it for them. She goes about setting each of them up on blind dates - each date is held in the café, with a special menu she has designed for the occasion.

But Jo has never found love herself. She always held her grandparents' marriage up as her ideal and she hasn't found anything close to that. But could it be that love is right under her nose...?

As a long term fan of Helen Rolfe, I was excited to see what her first book for Orion would bring.  I waited patiently for each of the 5 novellas to be released, while crossing my fingers that there would be a combined book.   Well finally my waiting paid off and I was able to read the charming The Little Cafe at the End of the Pier. 

I can't recall the last time that I read a book and honestly had no idea until right to the end who the main character may end up with romantically. In fact Jo's romantic situation isn't really the main theme of the book, but given there were three men I could potentially see her with, and it was clear she had a secret admirer I was finding myself guessing the whole time. 

If there were hints there I didn't really pick up on them, and its rare to have that level of surprise in a book of this genre. 

However before all that we have Jo returning to Salthaven, to help out their cafe that is at the end of Salthaven pier.  Besides the fabulous location for a cafe, its also rather special as the menu changes each day depending on what fresh produce Matt from the local farm is able to supply. 

All of the food sounded delicious, and that is from a non fruit and veg lover, but it was clear that Jo and her grand parents are great cooks and have good imaginations when it comes to menu items that will do well. 

Jo does though make her own mark on the Cafe, with her nights of love, where she sets up unsuspecting people on a blind date in the cafe.  She has a great eye for who may get on well with who, and I loved those elements of the book. 

I also really enjoyed discovering the reason that Jo's mum was estranged from her grandparents, and even seeing a mention of where Sasha lived brought a smile to my face. I used to work in Mallorca, so know where Puerto Pollensa is, and spent a couple of months there, but apart from that I've never really seen any mention of the town, anywhere in fiction or real life since! 

This was just a lovely book, full of wonderful characters (the regulars at the cafe), great food, a lovely location, some cool ideas and a secret admirer that I had no clue about.  Absolutely loved how the book ended, and each of the the sections could as originally published be able to be read as standalones should you prefer to read a book in smaller parts. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Christmas Miracles at the Little Log Cabin by Helen Rolfe

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Amazon UK

Title: Christmas Miracles at the Little Log Cabin

Author: Helen Rolfe

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author Supplied Copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 6th December

Rating: 4 Stars

A snow-covered log cabin surrounded by Christmas trees brings plenty of surprises for Holly … do you believe in Christmas miracles? 

Holly is looking for a change and even though not everyone agrees with her career choices, she’s determined there’s more to this life than the long hours she works as an editor in New York City. What she doesn’t expect is to meet Mitch, a recluse who’s hiding more than she realises. 

Mitch spends his days hidden away in a little log cabin in the woods out in Inglenook Falls where he owns a Christmas tree farm. He speaks to people only when and if it’s necessary, so when Holly falls into his life, he’s not sure how to react. All he knows is that something needs to change if he ever wants to get his life back on track. 

Along with friends Cleo and Darcy, Holly is determined to bring joy back to Mitch’s life, but will he appreciate their interference? And when a business proposition throws everything up in the air, will it do more harm than good and ruin lives forever? 

Both Holly and Mitch must learn that on the surface people aren’t always what they seem…but if you dig a little deeper, they can take you by surprise.

Curl up this Christmas for plenty of snowflakes, roaring log fires, a marriage proposal, unlikely friendships and second chances as we return to the much-loved New York Ever After series. 

Simply charming Christmas story, with a definite feeling of Christmas miracle. 

We have the grinch sort of character out in the woods, in a log cabin, sort of reclusive, not really a part of the local town and some people cross the road to avoid him.  And we have Holly, who has just started freelancing as a journalist and photographer, and she comes across the cabin, and soon meets the man in it. 

Once you hear what Mitch has been through you will understand why he hides away in the woods but its clear meeting Holly has a catalyst affect on his life. 

This may be book 4 of the New York Ever After series but I felt it could definitely be read as a standalone.  I had read the first book  a year ago, but didn't recall most of the key details going into this, so it felt like a new book to me.  Holly's best friends are the main characters from the previous books and you get the gist of what has happened with them so I really didn't feel at any sort of disadvantage.  I did feel that I had missed out on some lovely books though!! 

This book has just such a warm and cosy feel to it, definitely felt festive and is just a lovely story.  The characters were really realistic and the descriptions fabulous.  It is just a really enjoyable story, and I loved all the different facets to it.  

Inglenook Falls is a charming part of New York, has the small town vibe that I love, and clearly a close knit community.  Not only did I love Mitch;s character development as the book went on but I also loved learning about photography from Holly and the different sorts of photos you can sell to stock libraries, and other photography tips. 

A thoroughly enjoyable book from an author that I love and highly recommend. 

Thank you to Helen Rolfe for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Christmas at the Little Knitting Box by Helen J Rolfe - Rachel Reads Randomly Book #74

Amazon UK

Title:  Christmas at the The Little Knitting Box

Author:  Helen J Rolfe

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied reveiw copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 29th November 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Christmas is coming and New York is in full swing for the snowy season. But at The Little Knitting Box in the West Village, things are about to change …

The Little Knitting Box has been in Cleo’s family for nearly four decades, and since she arrived fresh off the plane from the Cotswolds four years ago, Cleo has been doing a stellar job of running the store. But instead of an early Christmas card in the mail this year, she gets a letter that tips her world on its axis.

Dylan has had a tumultuous few years. His marriage broke down, his mother passed away and he’s been trying to pick up the pieces as a stay-at-home dad. All he wants this Christmas is to give his kids the home and stability they need. But when he meets Cleo at a party one night, he begins to see it’s not always so easy to move on and pick up the pieces, especially when his ex seems determined to win him back.

When the snow starts to fall in New York City, both Cleo and Dylan realise life is rarely so black and white and both of them have choices to make. Will Dylan follow his heart or his head? And will Cleo ever allow herself to be a part of another family when her own fell apart at the seams?

Full of snow, love and the true meaning of Christmas, this novel will have you hooked until the final page.

Cosy, colourful, beautifully written, kept me guessing throughout and well its Christmas in New York what's not to love!  

This is a rather warm and cosy story, its a rather sweet romance, and at the same time its so much more than that. Its a hug of a book with characters that I felt connected to instantly. 

When I say colourful, wow did Helen Rolfe swallow a colour dictionary, so many different shades of the various yarns mentioned. I could visualise all the various tones and decided that it must be a very pretty knitting shop with them all on display.  And the descriptions of the various wools and yarns were also well researched, and thankfully my wool allergy doesn't kick in just reading about it! 

It truly was a beautifully written story,  at times I was almost in tears just from things in the characters pasts, others I was just amazed how much I felt I knew both Cleo and Dylan. We see things from both of their perspectives, so I was able to fall for Dylan's children, as well as enjoy the interactions between Cleo and her new assistant Kaisha. 

There was a real will they, won't they feel to the Dyland and Cleo story - I imagined just about ever scenario as to what may happen, apart from the real one, and I honestly had no clue which way it would go until the last few pages.   In fact we don't even find out at least one of the secrets until really late on, and it does explain some of the hinted at thoughts throughout. 

As you know from fiction and movies, Christmas in New York is magical,  and I really feel as though I have experienced a Christmas period in this book from just before Thanksgiving, all through the run up to the big day and onwards. And in this book we get Christmas markets, lights, food, carols just the whole spirit of the season, it was wonderful. 

Christmas at the Little Knitting Box is a fantastic festive tale. 

Thank you so much to Helen Rolfe for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - In A Manhattan Minute by Helen J Rolfe

Amazon UK

Title: In A Manhattan Minute

Author: Helen J Rolfe

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied review copy

Publisher: Fabrian Books

Publication Date: 20th October 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

It’s the most wonderful time of the year… but when the temperature dips, can Manhattan work its magic? 

Jack exists in a world that has seen its fair share of tragedy, but also success and the wealth that comes with it. One snowy night, he crosses paths with Evie, a homeless girl, and it changes everything. 

Three years on, Evie’s life is very different. She’s the assistant to a prestigious wedding gown designer, she’s settled in Manhattan, has her own apartment and friendships she holds dear. But the past is lurking in the background, threatening to spoil everything, and it’s catching up with her.

Kent has kept a family secret for two decades, a secret he never wanted to share with his son, Jack. And even though she doesn’t realise it yet, his life is inextricably tangled with Nicole’s, the woman who was his housekeeper for thirteen years and the woman who helped Evie turn her life around. 

It’s Christmas and a time for forgiveness, love and Happy Ever Afters. And when the snow starts to fall, the truth could finally bring everyone the gift of happiness they’re looking for.

Grab a hot chocolate, turn on the twinkly lights and snuggle up with this unputdownable heart-warming novel.

I've got a friend who has been telling (possibly demanding!) that I read a book by Helen Rolfe for months, she wasn't bothered which one but I was under instructions to read something by this author. Now clearly I had no problem with this plan, and have in fact bought a few books that are currently unread (but for how much longer I'm not sure). 

So when I saw this Christmassy looking book by her, I just couldn't resist giving it a go, and I'm so glad I listened to my friend. What an impressive book, and such a strong story. Please note this is not your typical light hearted Christmas book, it deals with some proper issues and in a very sympathetic and understanding manner. 

Kent, Jack, Nicole and Evie's lives are all linked and not necessarily in the way you may think, after seeing the initial chapter between the four of them. As the story progresses there are all sorts of hints as to secrets being kept, and I only half guessed one of them, the rest really did take me by surprise. 

This is a story that takes in a variety of relationships, between family members and even a small amount of romance. It is Evie's story that fascinated me the most, she starts off homeless, and then the next time we see her she is a wedding dress designer's assistant but is petrified the past will come back to haunt her. 

Evie's best friend is Nicole who used to work for the Churchill's as their housekeeper. She is a very kind hearted woman, and sees the best in people,  Nicole isn't too happy though about the way her employment came to an end, but she does still care about the family. 

Jack appears to be one thing to his father but as we get to know him, the person he is trying to become is a far more palatable version and he really does have  a heart of gold somewhere! Whereas his father Kent, comes across as a cold hearted businessmen, who is really only interested in the family business. 

As their lives continue to intersect, it becomes clear some secrets will come out, and its a fascinating story spanning from Thanksgiving until Christmas. I really enjoyed the writing style, and the depth of the story that is being told. It moves at a fair pace, and as a book that kept me interested throughout. 

In A Manhattan Minute is a good introduction for me to this author and her brilliant capability for narrative and taking you to the heart of the story, while making you feel as though you are there alongside the characters. 

Thank you to Helen Rolfe for this review copy. This is my honest opinion. 

Promo Post - What Rosie Found Next by Helen J Rolfe - Blog Tour

What Rosie Found Next

Genre: Romantic fiction / Women’s fiction

Release Date: 3rd November 2015

A shaky upbringing has left Rosie Stevens craving safety and security. She thinks she knows exactly what she needs to make her life complete – the stable job and perfect house-sit she’s just found in Magnolia Creek. The only thing she wants now is for her long-term boyfriend, Adam, to leave his overseas job and come home for good.

Owen Harrison is notoriously nomadic, and he roars into town on his Ducati for one reason and one reason only – to search his parents’ house while they’re away to find out what they’ve been hiding from him his entire life. When he meets Rosie, who refuses to quit the house-sit in his parents’ home, sparks fly.

Secrets are unearthed, promises are broken, friendships are put to the test and the real risk of bushfires under the hot Australian sun threatens to undo Rosie once and for all.

Will Rosie and Owen find what they want or what they really need?

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AMAZON UK

AMAZON US

About Helen J Rolfe

Helen J Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction. She enjoys weaving stories about family, relationships, friendships, love, and characters who face challenges and fight to overcome them. 

Born and raised in the UK, Helen spent fourteen years living in Australia before returning home. She now lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and children.

Facebook: http://facebook.com/helenjrolfe

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hjrolfe

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/helenjrolfe

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